Playground apparatus



Nov. 19, 1929. R. w. THORNTON PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 22, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 19, 1929. R. w. THORNTON PLAYGROUND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1928 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNETED STATES PATENT PLAYGROUND APPARATUS Application filed October 22, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in playground apparatus of the type sometimes referred to as rotating swings and has reference more particularly to an improved form of the apparatus shown and described in my copending application, Serial-No. 286,106, filed June 18, 1928.

It is customary to provide public playgrounds in public parks and in connection with school houses with different types of apparatus by means of which the children may amuse themselves and as an example of this type of apparatus is One having a sup port which is mounted for rotation about a vertical axle and which carries a platform selves and when properly constructed can be mounted when in rotation without any danger of injury.

This invention, briefly described, consists in a vertical axle that is rigidly secured in the ground and to which is secured an elongated hub that is provided with a ball bearing at the top of the axle and another ball hearing at the lower end of the hub. A plurality of arms extend radially outwardly and upwardly from the hub and have their outer ends terminating in horizontal portions. Each of these arms is connected with the upper end of the hub by means of a brace rod and has secured to its outer end a vertical pipe which extends both above and below the outer end in a vertical direction. Secured to the lower end of these pipes are outwardly extending brackets which form supports for the platform and attached to the upper ends of these pipes are end rails that can be grasped by the children when employing the apparatus.

Having thus briefly described the invention, the same will now be described in detail, and reference for this purpose will be had to the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a detail showing the manner in 5 which the several brace rods are connected Serial No. 313,975.

with the outwardly extending arms, this view being taken looking in the direction of arrow 2, in Fig. 4; i

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-8, Fig. 4; V Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 6 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 represents the surface of the ground and 2 a vertical axle which is preferably formed from a pipe WllOSQlOWGl end is embedded in a concrete block 3, which serves to hold it rigidly in vertical position. Surrounding the upper end of this pipe is a hollow hub 4 to the upper end of which a cap 5 is secured. This cap has a downwardly extending cylindrical. hub 6 into which the upper end of pipe 4 projects and to which it is secured by some suitable means, such as bolts or rivets. Secured in the upper end of the hollow axle 4 is a plug 7 whose upper surface is provided with a circular groove that forms a raceway for the balls 8, which separates the cap from the plug and forms a friction bearing of the thrust type. Cap 5 is provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 9 that has several openings 10 placed equidistantly therearound for the reception of the hooked ends 11 of the brace rods 12. Secured to the lower end of hub 4 is a cylindricalbearing 13 which has an outwardly extending flange 14 and secured to the axle 2 directly beneath the cylindrical member 13 is a collar 15 which has an outwardly extending flange 16. The upper surface of flange 16 is provided with a groove for the reception of the balls 17 which form a bearing for the lower end of the hub. Secured to the hub directly above the cylindrical member 13, is a short hub member 18 from the outer surface of which project tubular sockets 19, which are adapted to receive the inner ends of the arms 20. Hub member 18 is split and is provided with two radially extending lugs 21 that are connected by means of a bolt 22 in the manner shown in Fig. 5. This hub member is rigidly clamped to the elongated hub through the action of the bolt 22 in a manner quite apparent from Fig. 5. Arms 20 extend radially outwardly and are also upwardly and outwardly inclined from the sockets 19 to the point designated by numeral 23 in Fig. 4. At point 23 the ends of the arms are bent and those portions designated by numeral 24 extend outwardly in a horizontal direction. Secured to the extreme outer end of the horizontal portions 24 are ordinary pipe Ts 25. A pipe 26 extends downwardly from each T and a similar pipe 27 extends upwardly from the T in the manner shown in Fig. 4. Secured to the inner end of each portion 24 is a coupling 28 that is shown most clearly in Fig. 2 and which is provided on opposite sides of the arm with outwardly extending lugs or ends 29 and has its upper surface provided with two spaced lugs 30. The brace rods 12 are each provided at their outer end with a fitting 31 whose extreme end is provided with a head 32 separated from the main portion of this fitting by a cylindrical neck 33, which is adapted to be inserted into the space between the lugs 30. Brace rods 12 therefore become tension members of the triangles comprising the arms 20 and the hub 4. Brace rods 34: extend between adjacent arms 20 and have their ends provided with angular couplings 35 that project through the openings in cars 29 and which are held against removal by means of cotter pins in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Secured to the upper end of each of the vertical pipes 27 is a cap 36 which is provided with opposite ears 37 that have openings 38 for the reception of the angular portion 39 of the fittings 35 The fittings 35 are connected to opposite ends of brace rods 40 and these brace rods serve also as hand rails which can be grasped by the children when employing the apparatus. Secured to the lower end of each of the pipe sections. 26 is a bracket 41. These brackets serve as supports for the ends of the platform sections 42 which are secured to the brackets by means of bolts 43. When the sections e2 are all in place they form an annular platform on which the children may stand while the apparatus is rotating. The upper surface of this annular platform is usually roughened in the manner indicated by 42 in Fig. 1.

It is apparent from the above description that the apparatus comprising the annular platform is so constructed that the platform can be freely rotated about the axis of the axle 2 and that the children may stand on the platform 42 and hold onto hand rails 40. The apparatus may be rotated by some child that is not riding on the platform or it is also possible for the child to employ one foot for the purpose of engaging the ground and thus imparting to the apparatus the necessary torque to cause it to rotate.

I desire to call particular attention to the specific construction shown, including the upward inclination of the arms 20 and their horizontal end portions 2d together with the vertical supporting pipes 26 and 27, as this makes it possible to so construct this apparatus that i is low and at the same time gives as satisfactory results as if a tall axle 2 like that one shown in my copending application were employed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, a vertical axle member, a hub member rotatably mounted on the axle, said hub having a top bearing on the axle member and another bearing thereon spaced below the top bearing, an annular platform surrounding the axle, supporting arms fixed to the hub near its lower end, said arms extending radially outwardly and upwardly, the outer ends of said arms extending horizontally, brace bars.

extending from the upper end of the hub to the outer ends of the upwardly inclined portions of the radial arms, other brace bars extending between the radial arms, a bar secured to the outer end of each radial arm,x..

said bars extending vertically above and below the radial arms, a bracket secured to the lower end of each vertical arm, platform sections extending between the several brackets and forming an annular platform and hand rails connecting the upper ends of the vertical bars.

2. In a device of the class described, a vertical axle member, a hub member rotatably mounted on the axle, said hub having a top bearing on the axle member and another bearing thereon spaced below the top hearing, an annular platform surrounding the axle, supporting arms fixed to the hub near its lower end, said arms extending radially outwardly and upwardly, the outer ends of said arms extending horizontally, each of said arms being connnected to the upper end of the hub by means of a brace bar which is connected with it near its outer end, brace bars interconnecting adjacent arms, a bar secured to the free end of each arm and projecting vertically above and below the arm, an outwardly proj'ectingbracket secured to the lower end of each vertical bar and hand rails connecting the upper ends of the vertical bars.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a vertical axle member, a hub member rotatably mounted on the axle, said hub having a top bearing on the axle member and another bearing thereon spaced below the top bearing, an annular platform surrounding the axle, supporting arms fixed to the hub near its lower end, said arms extending radially outwardly and upwardly, each of said arms being connected to the upper end of the hubby means of a brace bar which is connected with it near its outer end, brace bars interconnecting adjacent arms, a bar secured to the free end of each arm and projecting vertically below the arm, an outwardly projecting bracket secured to the lower end of each Vertical bar, said brackets forming supports for the annular platform, and hand rails connecting the Vertical bars above the platform.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

RICHARD W. THORNTON. 

